Derek

“In 2013 I was painting my roof when I slipped, falling over 5m to the ground. I suffered multiple leg fractures, a broken pelvis and broke my back in three places. I remember everything about that day, the smell of lavender, the smell of paint, the pain and the relief of knowing the paramedics who turned up. I knew them because I had worked on the ambulances myself since 1999. For seven months we tried to save my leg, but after constant pain every day and recurring infections I decided to amputate below the knee. I was gutted, as I thought my career was over, but three days after my amputation my manager came to the hospital with my new uniform. I started to think about stories I had heard, of other amputees and thought that maybe I could get back to work. Eight weeks after my amputation I got my first prosthetic fitted. From that moment it was clear in my mind that I could do this job and nothing was gonna get in the way of it. I wasn’t interested in putting anyone at risk because of my disability. 11 months after my accident and four months after getting my prosthetic I started back on the road.
I can do everything I need to do for work, albeit sometimes slightly differently.”